Overhauling hoist



June 2, 1936. J. c. PATTERSON. JR

OVERHAULING HOI ST Filed Oct. 16, 1934 1 mm V! mr m m Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES ovnarmunmc nors'r Joseph 0. Patterson,

Jr., Washington, D. 0.

Application October 16, 1934, Serial No. 748,501

22 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 8, 1883, u

amended April 30, This invention relates to hoisting means adapted for use when there is relative movement be-.

tween the platform upon which the hoist is mounted and the object to be hoisted, as in lifting aircraft or boats from the surface of the water to the deck of a ship when both are subjected to wave action and the ship is rolling while the object to be hoisted is rising and falling with the waves. It is the object of this invention to provide mechanism for the purpose specified which will permit relative movement between the platform and the object to be hoisted while maintaining the hoisting line taut, and which may be set to apply a positive force to the line to hoist the object clear of the water when desired. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is side elevational view of one contemplated form of my invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically the principle involved in the mechanism of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of my invention that includes a device of the so-called free wheeling" type;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of the free wheeling" device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the mechanism of Fig. 4 on the line 5, 5;

Fig. 6 is a schematic layout of means for automatically operating parts of the free wheeling mechanism.

Fig. '7 shows the means for automatically controlling a by-pass valve in the hydraulic mechanism. v

When an object is to be hoisted to a platform with either the platform or the object, or both,

subject to wave action, difliculty is frequently experienced through breaking of the hoisting cable or damage to the object being hoisted or to the hoisting mechanism due to the fact that when the platform rolls toward the objector the object is lifted up by a wave, or both of these relative movements occur simultaneously, there is a tendency for the hoisting line to become slack and this slack is violently taken up when the object and the platform move relatively away from each other. The present invention provides meansfor keeping the hoisting cable free of slack until the actual hoisting operation begins and at the same time to permit the cable to payout under the pull of t'r-e lead when desired. I

Constant speed, motor 83 is connected to drive the A-encl 9 of variable speed hydraulic gear ID,

the output of fluid from the member 9 being controlled in a well known manner by a tilting box actuated by a spindle l I. The A-end is connected to B-end l2 by means of pipes l3 and I4, one of which serves to convey 'the fluid under pressure from member 9 to member I! and the other to return the fluid from driven end. I2 to driving end 9. A valve I5 is connected between pipes l3 5 and I4 to by-pass the fluid around driven end I! for a purpose that will be hereinafter set forth. A drum l6 adapted to have a .hoisting cable wound thereon is rotatably mounted and connected to B-end l2 to be driven thereby. Also 10 connected to drum I6 is an electric motor H of the type known as a torque motor, which is constructed to permit of its being stalled or to have the direction of rotation of its armature reversed while the current is on without damage to the motor. The normal direction of rotation of the motor I! is to drive drum IE to wind the cable thereon.

When a floating object is to be hoisted the valve I5 is opened to by-pass the fluid around the B- 2 end l2 and the cable attached at one end to drum I6 is connected to the object. When the object is 'moved upwardly relatively to the platform, motor [1 drives drum Hi to wind the cable thereon and also drives the B-end I2. It is apparent that the motor l1 should have sufficient power to accelerate the drum l6 quickly to take, up any slack in the cable even with the added load imposed by rotating the B-end therewith. When the object sinks into a wave trough its weight will unwind the cable from drum l6 and thereby rotate the B-end and it will also rotate the armature of motor I! against the'driving effort of the motor itself.. It is for this reason that the special wee of motor mentioned must be used since normally the stalling or overhauling of an electric motor of the usual type whenthe power is on would cause overheating and perhaps even burn out the motor. In Fig. 2 the valve disk I8 is shown in full linesin the closed position and in dotted lines in 40 the open position for by-passing fluid around the B-end. The driving end 9 being on stroke, the valve I5 is closed at the proper moment in the cycle of movement of the floating object and the driven end'l2 is thereby actuated to wind the cable on drum l 6 and lift the object to the platform, the motor I! adding somewhat to thepower avail: able for hoisting.

The mechanism shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that described above except that the "free wheeling device I9 is connected between the B-end l2 and the drum l6. As illustrated, this device is of the kind known in the art as a Kelpo clutch. The member 20 is keyed upon shaft 2| .of the drum I6 and has in it two cylindrical recesses 22 and 22 of different diameter, the latter being provided with internal gear teeth 24. The shaft 25 of B-end |2 extends into the recess 22 and has fixed to its end a gear wheel 26. Pivotally mounted on the radially extending face 21 oi recess 22 are a plurality of pawls 26 having teeth 29 that maybe meshed with the teeth of gear 26 and a toe 36 that may be turned'into locking engagement with gear 26. A gear wheel 3| is feathered on shaft 26 to be slidable into and out of mesh with the teeth in recess 23, any of the well known collar and yoke types of mechanisms being used for that purpose. When gear 3| is meshed with teeth 24 it forms a positive driving connection between shaft 26 and shaft 2|, but when gear 3| is not engaged with teeth 24 the device forms a driving connection for one direction of rotation only. Consideration of Fig. shows that when the shaft 2| and member thereon are rotating in a clockwise direction with respect to shaft 26 and gear 26- the pawls 26 will be rotated on their pivots until the teeth 29 are disengaged from the teeth of gear 26, which permits the shaft 2| to rotate free of the B-end i2, this being the mode of operation when valve I6 is open and motor I! is driving drum -|6 merely to keep the hoisting line free of slack. However, when the Iliad on the cable is increased by the floating object sinking into a wave trough, the pawls are rotated to bring the toes 30 into looking engagement with the teeth of gear 26 and so cause the B-end to be driven which, together with the resistance oflered by the driving eifort of motor I! while beingoverhauled, ofl'ers sumcient resistance to the pull on the cable to keep I it tensioned. It is apparent that when shaft 26 to the dnnn l6 and cause the object to descend is driven by the B-end for hoisting the load that the relative clockwise rotation ofshaft 26 will cause toes 36 to engage gear 26 and form a posi tive driving connection between shafts 26 and 2|. When either of the above described forms of my invention is to be used for lowering an object the A-end 6 is put on stroke to apply a braking force at the desired speed, as is the usual practice.

Fig. 6 discloses mechanism for automatically throwing the gear 2| into or out of mesh with the teeth 24. A contact brush 32 is connected to control spindle II to the spindle in the "lower" circuit through wires 33 solenoid 24 and thus draw core 36 into the solenoid. Lever 36 is pivoted intermediate its ends, the upper end being connected to core and direction to close a which will energize .the lower end being formed into a yoke to ensage the groove in collar 31 secured to gear II and time when the solenoid is energized gear ll is thrown into mesh with the teeth 24, a spring 31 being provided to move the gear 2| out of mesh with teeth 24 when the solenoid is de-energized. As core 26 moves into solenoid 24 the contact member '36 is moved to close the circuit from supply wires 29 through the solenoid .and there-' fore the solenoid remaixis energized even though the circuit be broken by moving of contact 32 away from its circuit closing position with respect to the wires 22, and gear 3| will be held meshed with teeth 24 until the circuit is broken y p ning switch I. It is ,to be-noted that it is I to mesh gear II with teeth 24 except when lowering under power from the B-end, since when the free wheeling device is operative and it is desired to hoist with the power from B-end "i2 the rotation of-shaft 26in the clockwise direction will cause gear 26 to rotate the pawls 26 be moved by rotation of,

and bring the toes 36 into locking engagement with gear 26.

In Fig. 7 is shown a device for automatically controlling the by-pass valve l5. A torsion spring 4| is disposed around and connected to the stem 5 of valve I6 to rotate the disc I8 to either the open or the closed position as desired, the latter being preferred, and a torque type motor 42 is connected through bevel gears 43 to turn the disc IS in opposition to spring. When control spindle II is rotated from neutral the brush 44 closes the circuit through either contacts 45 or contacts 46 which energizes a solenoid 41 and closes the switch 46 to connect motor 42 to supply wires 49 and simultaneously moves brush 50 15 against the contacts 50' to keep the circuit through the solenoid closed irrespective of position of brush 44. The motor 42 turns disc l6 to the limit of its possible movement and the motor isthen stalled and holds the disc in the position to which it has been turned. Opening the circuit at switch 6| de-energizes solenoid 41 which permits the switch 46 to open and cuts oil the current from motor 42, whereupon the spring 4| takes charge and moves the valve disc l8 to the 20 position for which the spring is set. If it is at any time desirable to prevent operation of valve I6 while control II is actuated it is necessary merely to keep the switch 6| open.

While my invention has been described as using a torque type motor to drive drum |6 for winding up slack in the cable, it is to be understood that any equivalent device which will permit thedrum l6 to be rotated in opposition to the driving eil'ort of such device may be substituted therefor. 3 For example, I may use a motor of any well known type and connect between such motor and the drum l6 a device such as is known as a fluid clutch, or fluid flywheel, which will rotate the drum l6 when the load on the cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude but will slip and permit reverse rotation of the drum by the load when the load exceeds such magnitude.

The invention described herein may be manui'actured and used by or for the Government of the United States of. America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim; 1

1..I'he combination with a hydraulic variable speed gear having a driving-end provided with cans to control the output thereof and a driven end, and means to drive said gear, of means connected between said ends operable" to by-pass fluid around said driven end, means governed by actuation of said control means to operate said by-pass means, a rotatable drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon, means adjustable to form a positive driving connection between said driven end and said drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a direction to wind the cable thereon while said driven end rests-inoperative, meansincluding a solenoid governed by actuation of said control means to set said adjustable means as aforesaid, and a torque type electric motor connected to said drum to drive said drum in the said direction when the load on the cable is of. less than a predetermined magnitude and; to be driven in the opposite direction by the drum in opposition to the drivirm e fl'ort oi. the motor 7 0 when the said load exceeds the said magnitude.

2. The combination with a hydraulic variable speed gear having a driving end provided with means to control the output'thereoi and a driven end and means to drive said gear, of means 75 rection speed gear having a; driving connected between said ends operable'to bypass fluid around said driven end, means govl adapted to have a cable wound thereon, means adjustable to form a positive driving connection between said driven end and said drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a the cable thereon while said driven end restsinoperative, means including a solenoid governed by actuatiom of said control means'to set said adjustable means as aforesaid, and separate prime mover connected to said drum todrive the drum in. the said direction when the load on the cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven in the opposite direction by the drum in opposition to the driving effort of theprime mover when the said' load exceeds the said magnitude.

3. The combination with. a hydraulic variable en'dprovided with means to control the output thereof and a driven end, and means to drive said gear. of means connected between said ends operable to by-pass fluid around said driven end, means governed by actuation'of said control means to operate said by-pass means, a rotatable drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon, means adjustabe to form a positive driving connection between said driven end and said drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a direction to wind the cable. thereon while said driven end rests inoperative, means governed by actuation, of said control means to set said adjustable means as aforesaid, and a torque type electric motor connected. to said drum to drive said drum in the said direction when the load on the cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven in the op osite direction by the drum in opposition to the driving-effort of the motors when the said load exceeds the said magnitude.

4. The combination with a speed gear having a driving end provided with means to control the output thereof and a driven end, and means to drive said gear, of .means Y connected between said ends operable tobypass fluid around said driven end, means governed by actuation of said control means to operate said by-pass means, adapted to have a cable wound thereon, means adjustable to-form a positive driving connection between said driven end and's'aid drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a direction to wind the cable thereon while said driven end rests inoperative, means, governed by actuation of said control means to set'said adjustable means as aforesaid, and a separate to said drum to drive when the load on said cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be drivenin the opposite direction by the drum in opposition to the driving effort of the prime mover when the said load exceeds the said magnitude. 1

5. The combination with power mechanism that includes a fluid-pressure driven device having, a control .operable to govern the output of said device, of means to render said device inoperative during predetermined conditions of operation of said mechanism, a rotatable drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon, means adjustable to form a positive driving connection between said device and said drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a'direction to wind the cable thereon while said device rests'inoperative,

-in the direction to wind hydraulic variable a rotatable drum prime mover connected the drum in the said di- I a predetermined magnitude or to set said adjustable means to form a driving connection as aforesaid, and a torque type electric motor connected to said drum to drive the drum said direction when the load on the cable is of less than a, predetermined magnitude and means actuat'able by operation of said control to to be driven in the oppositevdirection by the drum in opposition to the driving effort of the motor when the load exceeds the said magnitude.

6. The combination with power mechanism that includes a fluid-pressure driven device having' a control operable to govern the output of said device, of means to render said device inoperative during predetermined conditions of operation of said mechanism, a rotatable drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon, means adjustab'e to form a positive driving connection between said, device and said drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a direction to wind the cable thereon while said device rests inoperative, means actuatable by operation of said control to set said adjustable means to form a driving connection as aforesaid, and a separate prime mover connected to said drum to drive the drum in the said direction when the load on the cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven in the opposite direction by the drum in opposition to the driving effort of the prime mover when the load exceeds the said ringa positive driving connection between said device and said drum or rotate in a direction to wind the cable thereon while said device rests inoperative, means to set a to permit said drum to said adjustable means for either of the aforesaid modes of operation and a separate prime mover connected to said drum to drive the drum in the said direction when is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven in the opposite direction by the drum in opposition to the driving effort of the prime mover when the load exceeds the said magnitude.

8. The combination with power mechanism that includes a device operable either to do work u aload or under predetermined conditions of operation to be driven independently of the remainder-of said mechanism by said loadpof a rotatable drum adapted to have a cable wound thereom' means adjustable to form a positive driving connection between sa'd device and said drum or to permit said drum to rotate in a direction to wind the cable thereon while said device rests inoperative, means to set said adjustable means for either of the aforesaid modes of operati'on, and a separate prime mover connected to said drum to drive the drum in the said direction when the load on the cable is of less than be driven in the opposite direction by said drum in opposition to the driving effort of the prime mover when the load exceeds the said magnitude. 1

9. The combination with a hydraulic variable speed gear means to control the output thereof and a driven end, and means to drive said gear, of means con.- nected between said ends operable to by-pass fluid around said driven end, means governed by actuation of said control means to operate said having a driving and provided with 7 said driven end, in opposition to the driving effort of said motor, when said drivenend is not by-passed and is rotating counter to the normal direction oi rotation of the motor.

10. The combination with a hydraulic variable speed gear having a driving end provided with means to control the output thereof and a driven end, and means to drive said gear, of means connected between said ends operable to by-pass fluid around said driven end, means governed by actuation of said control means to operate said by-pass means, a rotatable drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon connected to be driven by said driven end, and a separate prime mover connected to drive said drum and said driven end when said driven end is by-passed and the load on the cable is less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven by said driven end, in opposition to the driving eflort of said prime mover, when said driven end is not by-passed and is rotating counter to the nor mal direction of operation of said prime mover 11. The combination with power mechanism that includes a device operable, under predetermined conditions, by' a source of power separate on the cable is or less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven by the drum in opposition to the driving eii'ort oi the prime mover nitude," said device simultaneously with bysaid drum.

being driven by the drum driving or the prime mover 12. The combination with power mechanismoperable, under predeterible driving connection with said device, and a separate prime mover-connected to the drum to rotate the in a direction to wind the cable on the drum when the load on the cable is of lea than'a prede magnitude and to be driven by the drum in opposition to the driving e1- iort oi the prime mover when the load on the cable exceeds the said magnitude.

l3.'The combination with power independently of the connection oi said mechasaid driven end is by-,

. on operatively speedgearhaving around said driven end of said positiom when energy pendent of the move said valve nismtosaid drum,todrive the drumin a direction to wind the .cable thereon when the'load on the cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven by the drum in opposition to the driving eflort of the prime mover when the load on the cable exceeds the said magnitude.

15. The combination with power mechanism, of a drum adapted to have-a cable wound ,thereon operatively connected to said mechanism, and a separateprime mover operatively connected to said drum, independently oi. the connection of said mechanism to said drum, to drive the drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon when the load'on the cable is 01 less than a predetermined magnitude, the said drum being notatable in the opposite direction bythe load on the cable in opposition to the driving eiiort or the prime mover when said load exceeds the said magnitude.

16. The combination with power mechanism, 01' a drum adapted to. have a'cable wound thereand a separate prime mover. operatively condrum, independentlyof the connection of said mechanism to said drum, to drive the drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon when the load on the cable is of less tion oi the drum.

17. The combination with'a' hydraulic variable peed gear having a driving end provided with means to control the output thereof and a driven end, and'means to drive said gear, of a valve connected between said ends to by-pass fluid around said driven end when in the open position and to prevent such by-passing when in the closed po-- sition, continuously acting means tending to move said valve to one 01 said positions, a torque type motor connected to move said valve to the other or said positions when the motor is enersized, and means operable by actuation 01' said control motor.

18. The combination with a hydraulic variable a driving end provided with connected between said ends to by-pass fluid when in the open position and to" prevent such bywhen in the closed position, continuously acting means tending to move said valve to one oi said positions, a motor connected to move said valve to the other is supplied to said motor, and means operable by actuation of said control means to govern the said motor.

19. The combination with a hydraulic variable speed gear having a driving end provided with means to control the output thereof and a driven end, and means to drive said gear, oi a valve connected between said ends to. by-pass fluid around said driven end when in the open position and to prevent such-by-passing when in the closed position, continuously acting means indepressure of the fluid tending to and means operable by actuation of said control connected to said mechanism,

means to govern the energizing oi said supply 01' energy to to one of said positions, means e to move the valve to the otheroi' said positions,-

means to govern the operation of the last mentioned means. i

20. The combination with power mechanism, of a drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon, a' shaft'upon which said drum is fixed to rotate therewith and to which said mechanism is operatively connected at one end, and a separate prime mover connected to the other end of said shaft to drive the drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon when the load on the cable is of less than a predetermined magnitude and to be driven by the drum in opposition to the driving effort of the prime mover when the load on the cable exceeds the said magnitude.

21. The combination with power mechanism, of a drum adapted to have a cable wound thereon, a shaft upon which said drum is fixed to rotate therewith and to which said mechanism is operatively connected at one end, and a separate prime mover connected to the other end of said shaft to drive the drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon when the load on the cable is oi! less than a predetermined magnitude, the said drum being rotatable in an opposite direction by the load on the cable in opposition to the driving eflort of the prime mover when the said load exceeds said magnitude.

22. The combination with power mechanism,

of a drum adapted to have a cable wound there- 7 on, a shaft upon which said drum is fixed to rotate therewith and to which said mechanism is operatively connected at one end, a seprate prime mover connected to the other end of said shaft to drive the drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon when the load on thecable is of less than a predetermined magnitude, the said drum being rotatable in the opposite direction by the load on the cable when said load exceeds said magnitude, the energythat actuates said prime mover act- .ing continuously in the same direction irrespective of the direction or the rotation of the-drum.

JOSEPH C. PATTERSON, Jn. 

